December 4th~On Trial

Acts 24:1-26:31

Paul was still in jail in Caesarea, which was headquarters for the Roman governors. He had been transferred there after the leading Jews tried to kill him in Jerusalem. He had been in jail so long that he had been tried by two different governors — Felix and Festus. Neither of these men found Paul to be guilty of any crime; in fact, they would have released him had he not appealed to have his case tried before Caesar. Now, Paul would get an all-expenses-paid one- way ticket to the capital of the empire. Thus, Paul would get to see Rome after all (23:11).

As I read about the trials that Paul experienced, I was reminded of the importance of being able to make a defense for our faith. In this bitter and biased world, it seems that the followers of Christ are always on trial somewhere, giving reasons for the hope that they have in Him, just as Paul did (24:10; 26:1).

Did you notice that Paul’s accusers resorted to name-calling and scare tactics? They had already threatened to kill him a couple of times and, during a trial, they said, “We have found him to be a troublemaker” (24:5). After listening to Paul’s story, Festus even shouted, “Paul, you are insane!” (26:24). The world cannot effectively argue against what it does not understand. The facts do not support their claims. Therefore, they must resort to intimidation and name-calling. They must silence us with fear.

On the other hand, if we watch how Paul defended his faith, we will notice that he was a good ambassador for the Lord. He was diplomatic in his approach, he appealed to the facts, and he demonstrated good character. He said, “I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and everyone else” (24:16). Because of the way that he interacted with the nay-sayers, Paul earned an audience with those who would listen.

Daily Reflection

In one of his letters, Peter wrote, “If you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it; but, you must do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then, if people speak evil against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ” (1 Peter 3:15, 16).

You should always be ready to explain the hope that you have, your faith in Jesus Christ. Do you feel prepared to do that? Why or why not?

What do you think it means to explain your beliefs in a gentle and respectful way?

What do you think it means to keep a clear conscience before God and men?

Take courage. Truth is on your side. But, do not be boastful, condescending, or hateful. Be prepared to receive harsh treatment from the nay-sayers, but do not return their fire.

BiAY.org | Day 338 — 27 Days to Go